Back Bay Dental CareAppointments: (617) 247-9966

Mark Pham

Back Bay Dental Care

If you are missing one or more teeth, you'll want to talk with Boston area dental implant dentist Dr. Mark Pham about replacements that look and feel as natural as your own teeth. If dentures are causing you problems, you may consider dental implants. Unlike dentures, which can be removed, Dr. Pham offers dental implants that are permanently anchored into the jaw itself.

Sleep dentistry offers a relaxing and virtually pain-free dental experience. You'll have little or no memory of the entire visit. If you would you like to experience quality dental care without feeling nervous or uncomfortable, sleep dentistry may be right for you.

Natural-looking tooth-colored fillings are made of composite resin and fill cavities just like traditional silver amalgam fillings. Mark Pham, , can match your new composite fillings to the exact color of your teeth so they are virtually invisible. Back Bay Dental Care, a Boston, MA area practice, has seen tooth-colored fillings become more popular over the years. Dr. Pham can remove your old amalgam fillings and replace them with beautifully white, tooth-colored fillings.

Would you like a whiter smile right now? In the Boston, MA area, Back Bay Dental Care offers in-office tooth whitening for quick results. Dr. Mark Pham applies a bleaching solution to your teeth which is then accelerated by a high-intensity light. Teeth can often be whitening in one or two one-hour sessions - perfect if you're looking for a quick and easy way to brighten up your smile.

The friendly, caring staff of Back Bay Dental Care in the Boston, Massachusetts area strive to make you feel comfortable and well-cared for at your dentist appointment. Mark Pham, is committed to serving you and your family's dental needs, year after year. Come and see what we have to offer in a professional setting where top-notch customer service still matters.

Relieving Dental Anxiety With Sedation Dentistry

Patient comfort and care is a top priority for a sedation dentist. They recognize that dental anxiety or discomfort can be associated with some dentistry procedures. Fortunately, a variety of dental procedures using dental anesthetics are available to relieve both anxiety and discomfort. Talk with your dentist to find out which is right for you.

Dental Anxiety Relief

Local Anesthetic:

This is the most frequently used type of dental anesthetic for sedation dentistry procedures. Although often referred to as "Novocain," this once popular painkilling drug has actually been replaced by more effective anesthetics such as Lidocaine for a comfortable dental care treatment. It also works very well for temporary relief of a tooth ache.

However, the name has become so much a part of the American vocabulary, it's now used in generic terms. Prior to injecting the local anesthetic, the dentist often swabs a topical anesthetic over the injection site to prevent the patient from even feeling the needle.

Conscious Sedation Dentistry:

Patients seeking comfortable dentistry can consult with their dentists to choose anti-anxiety agents either administered by mouth, inhalation or injection. Nitrous oxide, often referred to as laughing gas, helps to ease patient anxiety. The gas is inhaled by patients, inducing relaxation, so they can approach dental procedures with less stress.

Deep Sedation:

This may be required for complex procedures or for dental patients with special needs. With the administration of general anesthesia, the patient is unconscious; with deep sedation dentistry or sleep dentistry, dental patients are deeply relaxed and not fully aware of their surroundings during their dental treatment.

Consult With Your Dentist

Prior to treatment, your dentist will need to know a few things regarding your health history such as:

allergies

your current health condition

any medications you may be taking.

Some medicines may interfere with the efficiency of an anesthetic requiring an adjustment in your medication schedule. Your health history is very important information for the dentist. During the consultation, you can ask questions about any dental procedures that may be of concern during your dental procedure.

A Concern for Safety

The drugs used as dental anesthetics are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and are safe. Anesthetic providers are professionals with a commitment to patient safety and comfort.

A dental anesthetic can be administered by a general dentist, a dental anesthesiologist or an M.D. Certification is required and is regulated on a state-by-state basis. Discuss sedation with your dentist at your next visit.

By Brian J. Gray, DDS, MAGD, FICO

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Dental Anxiety Is Real!

Franklin D. Roosevelt was right: the only thing we have to fear is … fear itself.

Many times, the worst part of a procedure is the anxiety a patient endures before even climbing into the chair. It's a problem that's preventable, and your dentist would like to help you with that right now.

If you (or someone you care about) has an appointment that's beginning to darken your thoughts, try this: First focus on the specifics of your dental fear. Is it the procedure in general, or a particular piece of equipment, or a vague sense of invasion of the privacy of your mouth? Once you've got it pinned down, talk with your dentist about it. If it's general dental anxiety, your dentist can help you feel better. If it's concern over a specific instrument or technique, often your dentist can change the way he does things.

You can help the "pre-op jitters" by avoiding stimulants (coffee, cocoa, sugar) six hours before your visit. And concentrate on breathing naturally; denying yourself oxygen increases anxiety.

Finally, there's a matter of trust. When your dentist describes a procedure, ask him to be honest. Ask him to tell you if it will be uncomfortable or stressful, if he tells you it won't be, believe him. And spare yourself the unnecessary burden of dental phobia.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.